Handicap Accessible Laboratory Table

ABSTRACT

A handicap accessible laboratory table is disclosed for use in lectures and laboratory experiments. The table has a base suitable for wheelchair access, a generally planar countertop mounted on at least three telescoping legs, a motor to raise and lower the countertop without requiring locking the legs into position, and a fixed-height sink mounted adjacent to the edge of the countertop and providing clearance for a wheelchair to fit beneath the sink. Optionally, the table can also have a marine edge to control spills, a two-depth sink to allow for handicap access which can have a faucet or a sprayer, a finger guard to protect children&#39;s fingers when the countertop is in motion, a storage area for rods, and a key-activated switch or remote for controlling the countertop height.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to laboratory tables for use inclassrooms which are accessible to disabled individuals.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In current laboratory environments, laboratory tables are generally notdesigned to be accessible to both handicapped and non-handicappedindividuals. This can cause problems for wheelchair-bound students inscience classrooms as they have problems with accessing items in sinksas well as using tables at an appropriately comfortable height. Ideally,a laboratory table will be usable both for handicapped andnon-handicapped individuals. Additionally, in current laboratory andclassroom environments, laboratory tables generally do not have a meansto control liquids spilled on the tables. This can be a problem,particularly in science classrooms where spills are common. Ideally, alaboratory table in a school classroom environment would have a way tocontrol liquids spilled on the tables such that the liquids do not seepthrough holes in the table or off the edge of the table to the floor.Thirdly, presently available tables with lifting mechanisms are lessthan ideal because they typically rise to a certain point or lower to acertain point regardless of impediments they encounter. This can causesafety issues as well as stressing the motors by having them use toomuch torque to raise or lower the table. In a laboratory environment, ifa child sits on a laboratory table, it is ideal for the laboratory tableto not raise both for safety reasons and to preserve the motor.Similarly, if a child has his or her legs beneath the laboratory table,it is ideal for the table to stop lowering and instead rise up a fewinches if it encounters resistance to ensure that a child's legs are notinjured. The presently disclosed device solves each of these problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

We disclose a handicap accessible laboratory table for use in lecturesand laboratory experiments. The table has a base suitable for wheelchairaccess, a generally planar countertop mounted on at least threetelescoping legs, a motor to raise and lower the countertop withoutrequiring locking the legs into position, and a fixed-height sinkmounted adjacent to the edge of the countertop and providing clearancefor a wheelchair to fit beneath the sink. Optionally, the table can alsohave a marine edge to control spills, a two-depth sink to allow forhandicap access which can have a faucet or a sprayer, a finger guard toprotect children's fingers when the countertop is in motion, a storagearea for rods, and a key-activated switch or remote for controlling thecountertop height.

The handicap accessible laboratory table solves the problem of allowingaccess for both handicapped and non-handicapped individuals in a fewways. First, the table raises and lowers to allow access for awheelchair. Next, there is a cutout in the housing beneath the sinkallowing for knee room for an individual seated in a wheelchair.Finally, the sink is designed with a shallow front section and a deeprear section such that a handicapped individual may place a piece ofequipment to be washed or filled with water on the shallower frontsection without having to reach deep into the sink.

The handicap accessible laboratory table solves the problem ofcontrolling spilled liquids in two ways. First, in one embodiment, thehandicap accessible laboratory table has a continuous top surfacewithout holes through which liquids might seep. Additionally, in anembodiment addressing the issue of spillage, the handicap accessiblelaboratory table has a marine edge to contain spills on the surface ofthe table.

The handicap accessible laboratory table solves the problem of safetyand preserving the motor from undue strain with a control or brain-likemechanism. If the table encounters a certain amount of force going up,the mechanism will not lift the countertop surface. If the tableencounters a certain amount of force going down, the motor will reverseand rise a few inches to provide clearance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete appreciation of the present invention and many attendantadvantages thereof will be readily understood by reference to thefollowing detailed description of the invention when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a front plan view of the handicapaccessible laboratory table.

FIG. 2 illustrates a top plan view of the handicap accessible laboratorytable.

FIG. 3 illustrates a right side plan view of the handicap accessiblelaboratory table.

FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of the handicap accessiblelaboratory table from above and to the left showing the countertoplowered.

FIG. 5 illustrates an exploded view of the handicap accessiblelaboratory table showing its construction and internal structure andhaving a central kick-plate.

FIG. 6 illustrates an exploded view of the handicap accessiblelaboratory table showing its construction and internal structure andhaving metal rear knee shrouds.

FIG. 7 illustrates a perspective view of the handicap accessiblelaboratory table from above and to the left showing the countertopraised.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

In reference to the drawings, there is shown a handicap accessiblelaboratory table 1 for use in lectures and laboratory experiments. Thetable 1 has a base 2, which, as shown in FIGS. 4, 6, and 7, has acut-out section allowing access for a wheelchair (not shown).Optionally, the base can have an outlet 5 allowing for electricalaccess. The base 2 also houses a fixed-height sink 6. The sink 6 canoptionally have a shallower first depth 11 at the front of the base 10to allow access to people sitting in a chair or wheelchair as well as adeeper second depth 12 towards the back of the sink 6 allowing forwashing or filling of larger containers. The sink 6 can optionally beprovided with one or more faucets 13 as shown, or can be provided withsprayers (not shown) in the case of tables not requiring faucets 13, forexample tables for use in physics classes only. Additional access, suchas gas or vacuum access, can also optionally be provided on the base 2.

The table 1 also has a countertop 3 which is generally planar and whichis mounted on at least three telescoping legs 4 which are visible inFIGS. 3, 5, and 6. These legs 4 are controlled by a motor (not shown).An example of a leg and control box combination that can be used for thetable 1 is the Linak® Desklift DL6 legs combined with the Linak® ControlBox CBD4. In a preferred embodiment, the control box is programmed withsensors, not shown, included in the legs 4 which sense the amount ofpressure which the countertop 3 encounters when raising or lowering. Ifthe amount of pressure raising up exceeds a pre-set pound limit, thelegs 4 will not raise. If the amount of pressure when lowering exceedsanother pre-set limit, the legs 4 will stop lowering and will raise acertain distance. In a preferred embodiment, the legs 4 will raise twoinches if resistance is encountered when lowering to allow space for achild to remove his or her legs from beneath the table. Ideally, thecountertop 3 can raise to a height of 30 inches to accommodate standingstudents performing experiments and lower to a height of 36 inches toaccommodate seated students. In alternate embodiments, the motor may beactivated by a key-activated switch, not shown, or by a remote control,not shown, which sends signals to a remote sensor 22. The key-activatedswitch, remote control, and remote sensor 22 can each be purchased fromLinak®.

The base 2 is situated within a cutout 7 into the shape of thecountertop 3. By using this configuration, the handicap accessiblelaboratory table 1 can be made of a smaller size without significantlycutting into the area of the table 1 that students can reach. In apreferred embodiment, a finger guard 14 as shown in FIG. 7 is disposedon the cutout 7 of the countertop 3 such that when the countertop 3 israised above the height of the base 2, a child cannot insert his or herfingers into the space between the countertop 3 and the base 2 and havehis or her fingers pinched when the countertop 3 is lowered.

Now referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the legs 4 connect to the countertop 3by a metal top frame support 17. The legs 4 are contained in a leg-framebracket 18. A metal leg support frame 19 supports the legs 4structurally. The leg area beneath the countertop 3 can be contained byeither a metal rear cover 20 as shown in FIG. 5, or a metal rear kneeshroud 21 as shown in FIG. 6.

In a preferred embodiment, the countertop 3 can have a marine edge 8 tocontain any spills on the table 1 without dripping on the floor.Additionally, the countertop 3 is formed as one piece 9 without holesthrough which spills might drip. Also in a preferred embodiment, thecountertop 3 can have rod storage 15 beneath its surface for the storageof metal rods, not shown, used for performing experiments. Ideally, thisrod storage 15 is provided with a lock, such that students cannot removethe rods and play with them when not permitted by an instructor.

We claim:
 1. A handicap accessible laboratory table for use in lecturesand laboratory experiments, said laboratory table comprising: (a) a basesuitable for wheelchair access; (b) a generally planar countertopmounted on at least three telescoping legs; (c) a motor to raise andlower said countertop without requiring locking said telescoping legsinto position; and (d) a fixed-height sink disposed adjacent to theperipheral edge of said countertop and mounted to provide clearancebelow the sink for a wheelchair.
 2. The handicap accessible laboratorytable of claim 1 wherein said tabletop comprises a marine edge and acontinuous surface.
 3. A laboratory sink having a front, a first depthand a second depth, said second depth deeper than said first depth andlocated farther from said front.
 4. The handicap accessible laboratorytable of claim 1 wherein said fixed-height sink has a faucet.
 5. Thehandicap accessible laboratory table of claim 1 wherein saidfixed-height sink has a sprayer.
 6. The handicap accessible laboratorytable of claim 1 wherein said fixed-height sink is surrounded by afinger guard
 7. The handicap accessible laboratory table of claim 1further comprising a storage area.
 8. The handicap accessible laboratorytable of claim 7 wherein said storage area is lockable.
 9. The handicapaccessible laboratory table of claim 1 wherein said motor iscontrollable by a key-activated switch.